Salsa Bucksaw X01 Review - Part I

The lines of modern bikes continue to blur as we evolve from a few clearly defined categories toward bicycles that cross and expand functionality. Road bikes with wider tires now enable occasional rambles on gravel roads. While we're a long way from the "one bike quiver" (the holy grail of skis), some surprising new offerings truly expand functionality.

My Salsa Bucksaw X01 is just such a whip. Described by Salsa as "blurring the lines between a fatbike and a full suspension mountain bike" the Bucksaw was designed around 4" tires and nimble performance in a wide range of situations. This is not just marketing BS, it truly does.

But first, some context. This Summer I decided that after 51 trips around the sun, my body was feeling a bit beat up by hardtails. My Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon World Cup is superlight, fast, and handles pretty well, but the hardtail really forces me to choose lines carefully, and often leaves me sore the next day. Plus, I'd been reading a lot about 27.5+ full suspension bikes and they looked mighty appealing.

On a visit to Traverse City, MI, I decided to go out and look around. TC has a collection of solid shops. Specifically, I was interested in the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp 6 Fattie, and the Salsa Pony Rustler GX1.

I really wanted to like the Specialized - good price, dealer had some end-of-season deals, well equipped. But... I just didn't. I found the suspension to be typical of what I've experienced with Specialized. It's as though the front and rear just aren't working in-sync. It had some of the same 'pogo stick' as my buddy's five-year-old FSR. Nope. That's not going to work.

After this, I headed over to Einstein Cycles hoping to check out a Pony Rustler. I had the good fortune to get connected to owner Jason Lowetz (more about Jason and his shop later). I quickly learned he didn't have any Pony Rustler's in stock, and with the new model year coming, wouldn't have one for several months. But, he quickly moved into solution selling mode (I'm a sales and marketing guy, so I get it) and asked me what I planned to do with it and why I wanted to make a switch.

I shared that I wanted to ride places like Glacial Hills up North and Potowatami in SE Michigan, as well as my usual haunts of the DTE Energy Trail and the VASA Trail. What I was looking for was comfort, greater confidence in choosing lines and dealing with rocks, roots, and other obstacles. Here's how the conversation went from there:

Jason: "Dude, you want a Salsa Bucksaw with a second set of 27.5+ wheels!"

Me: "Ummm, but that's a fat bike. I already have a fat bike..."

Jason: "Better still. Get a Bucksaw, sell your fat bike and we'll get you on some SWEET carbon 27.5+ wheels!"

Damn. You got me, Jason. Bike consolidation has been a theme in my stable. Owning, riding, and maintaining multiple bicycles is a hassle. I already had things on my Salsa Beargrease X5 that I felt came up short -- the lack of front suspension, the 2x drivetrain, the mechanical discs. He had me.

But, it got better. Salsa had a few 2015/2016 Bucksaw X01's left that they were blowing out at a ridiculous price. For the same price as a current Bucksaw GX1, I got a bike with a Thomson Elite X4 stem, carbon bars, a RockShox Reverb dropper post, and other component upgrades. Literally $2,000 off.

Quick test ride on a current model to determine if I liked it (I did) and to check size (Large), and the trigger was pulled. Over the next few days, Jason and I arrived at a build for the wheelset. Bearclaw Bicycles Co. carbon rims (Bearclaw is Einstein's own brand of mighty sweet bikes), DT Swiss spokes, and Industry Nine Torch hubs. He cautioned me that I9 fat bike hubs get "mighty loud". Bring it. I love a screaming drivetrain. Saves me needing a bell on the trail!

To say I was excited is a polite understatement. "F_ _k yeah!" would be more like it. I knew I could sell my Beargrease for nearly what I'd paid (I did -- within a day of listing it). And now I'd have one bike that could be my plush, fast trail bike, AND with a quick wheel swap be a fat bike for Winter riding.

Do I like it? What's it ride like? Any shortcomings? Well, now you're going to need to wait for Part II of this review. Yeah, call me a tease. I'm good with that. Good writing is about building anticipation...

One final note on this whole process - Einstein Cycles is AWESOME! Finding a first-rate bike shop for sales and service is a true gem. I still haven't found a downstate shop that combines a great selection of products with a great repair shop. I've found one or the other, but not both in one place. In addition to Jason, shop guys Dan and Dustin are solid sales types, as well as ace mechanics (Dan builds the wheels). The shop has a friendly, mellow vibe, but they take customer service and satisfaction incredibly seriously. This initial impression has been reinforced on every interaction. I wouldn't hesitate to send anyone, at any level, to them. In fact, after hearing about and riding my bike, a buddy ended up buying nearly the same ride and wheels!~

The Iceman Cometh

Last weekend marked a milestone in cycling - my first mountain bike race! As I've been looking for new challenges since turning 50, this seemed a logical choice. Especially after learning that Northern Michigan's infamous Iceman ride also had a more beginner-friendly Slush Cup (8 miles, instead of the full 27). Sign me up!

I was completely unprepared for the scope of this event. Thousands of mountain bikers blasting through the woods. Races in waves to accommodate all the riders. A huge festival at the finish line. And so much more!

The shorter ride had two benefits - first my slacker training didn't kill me. And second, I've never ridden in a competitive environment on a mountain bike. As a kid, I raced bmx extensively, but the two have almost nothing in common. I had to learn to pace myself. When it was a good opportunity to pass. What it felt like to get passed. And how to spot and avoid other riders who offered the potential for danger (perhaps I was one of those riders to others).

My Specialized Stumpjumper Expert World Cup Carbon bike was awesome. Fast. Stable. Nimble. My only complaint as that the fairly narrow 1.9" rear tire was fairly scary in sandy terrain. Note to self -- time for some bigger tires.

Perhaps the most thrilling part was blasting through the finish area and then hearing my name on the PA as I crossed the finish line. Later I found out I'd scored 13th in my age category -- a nice start for my first race!

I learned a lot about myself. And I learned a lot about the sport. I will be back. Next year - full Iceman! More to follow about my awesome experience!

-Sean-

Shifting Gears

Recent events have me significantly changing my riding preferences. Road cycling has simply become dangerous. Between the dramatic increase in distracted drivers peering at little teeny screens, increasing traffic on roads, and a blooming of driver road rage, I'm rethinking how I want to spend my time on two wheels.

A recent tragedy on what has been my regular training route really brought it home for me. While riding on Dexter-Chelsea Road, triathlete Karen McKeachie was hit and killed by a driver who didn't see her. Head on. I can only imagine the horror of seeing an SUV at full-tilt bearing down on me. This road doesn't have wide shoulders, and in the place where the accident occurred there really is no escape route. Recently I rode past a small memorial to McKeachie and a simple thought filled my head:

"That could have been me."

On the day the accident happened, before details had been released, I received texts from three friends checking in to make sure it wasn't me. It could have been me. I've ridden that stretch dozens of times.

Couple this with incidents like Kalamazoo, and my own experiences, and I'm making a fundamental shift. I can't count the number of middle fingers, red-faced yelling, and other stupid behavior I've experienced. And, it seems to be escalating over the past year.

Who wouldn't love this view on a ride?

Fortunately, last year I discovered the joys of riding gravel roads. Where I used to see 10 cars per mile, now I see 10 cars per RIDE. And, when I am passed, its usually with a wide berth and a friendly wave. Combine that with my recent move to western Washtenaw County, with easy access to the Waterloo Rec Area and miles of dirt roads (like the one I live on), and this becomes pretty damn appealing.

Plus, over the last year I've rediscovered the thrill of mountain biking. Some of this was fueled by purchasing a Salsa Beargrease X5 this Spring. I've had so much fun riding that! Getting out on the trail, with no cars and relatively few other cyclists is a blast. While my rides are shorter in duration, they make up in intensity. Plus, mountain biking is more of a total body workout as you're using your upper body, too. Add to this the joy of being in the woods and you've got a combo that's hard to beat.

To further fuel this, my house is 2.5 miles from the DTE Energy Trail (formerly Waterloo). This great 5 mile route will eventually expand to over 20 miles. I did my first ride on it from home this week. Wow! What a blast! I've also had the good fortune to ride the VASA Trail outside Traverse City several times this year - also great fun!

Naturally, this fueled another bike purchase. After discovering the joy of a mountain bike with gears in the fat bike, I found I wanted a faster, more nimble ride. Fortunately, I stumbled on a great deal on a lightly used Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon World Cup. After only a few rides, I've grown to love this bike. It's fast, smooth, and I love the 1X drivetrain.

Can't wait to run the fat bike in the snow, too! That will bring a whole new dimension to fun Winter fitness.

So, my love affair with bikes and riding hasn't waned. It's just matured and changed direction. Away from the road riding that was getting increasingly scary and toward gravel roads and dirt paths. I certainly haven't given up road riding. It's just that I will spend considerably less time doing it, at least for a while.